Now is summer in Korea and the day is longer than night. Subuh prayer starts from 03.40am and Magrib prayer starts at 19:47pm.
Alhamdulillah, not much difference accept the time.
Yesterday I had my iftar at Itaewon Mosque. My normal class at Samsung station ended at 6pm and by the time I reached Itaewon Mosque, the time was already 19:20pm.
Iftar (Arabic: إفطار), refers to the evening meal when Muslims break their fast during the Islamic month of Ramadan. Iftar is one of the religious observances of Ramadan and is often done as a community, with people gathering to break their fast together. Iftar is done right after Maghrib (sunset) time. Traditionally, three dates are eaten to break the fast, in memory of the prophet Muhammed, who broke his fast in this manner. (Source: Wikipedia)
After taking the wudhu' I went straight to Muslimat prayer room and met a Yemen lady there. She speaks only Arabic. Arghhh..I wish I know Arabic.
A while later we were joined by Amirah, a Korean Muslim. Both of them wear burqa and it's kinda convenient cause they just prayed with their burqa. Like myself, I brought my telekung and stuff. Should I change my dress code? Hmm..maybe slowly.
Another lady studying in Hankuk University of Foreign Study, Edja a Tunisian came. Alhamdulillah she speaks Arabic and English so she automatically became my translator. ^^
All of us went down to the room for iftar. The women had gathered in a room while the men had their iftar outside.
In the room I met so many different races - Uzbekistan, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Korean, Yemen, Tunisia, Algeria, Moroccan, Indonesian, me -- Malaysian and yet we are all Muslim.
Surprisingly, there are 2 Korean ladies who came to learn about Islam andhad iftar together with us.
Our meal is just rice, lentils soup (surprisingly good!), salad, meat stew and a piece of cake. Taste wise is not that great but Alhamdulillah we had a decent meal.
Isha prayer started at 21:24pm and we just stayed around reading Al-Quran together. By this time I had this serious thought that I should pick up some Arabic. ^^ Just to understand Al-Quran better.
Finished our Taraweeh at about 11pm and there was coffee prepared outside.
The Taraweeh at Itaewon Mosque was done in 8 rakaat and then followed by 3 rakaat of Witr. The Witr done here was quite different from what I did in Malaysia. Here, the Imam read Qunut and the doa during the last rakaat of Witr and right after Ik'tidal.
When I walked down to Itaewon station, I met a few transvetite or transgender? Not too sure..they smoked while waiting for their customer along the street. My mother would kill me if she knows that I went home really late like this and alone..agagaga.
I dropped by to one of the international markets there to buy some dates. They only have two types of dates sold here and I just had to buy the better quality one, for 8,000won per kilogram. I'm missing my Mariami dates!! I love love love Mariami dates..can someone bring some for me here..T_T
Later, inside the Itaewon Station I was approached by PEACE activists - WPI (World Peace Initiative). They gave me a piece of PEACE..hehe and for me to give it a meaning of my own. So here is my PEACE for you in this blessed Ramadhan.
The two Korean girls:"Is it Amen?"
Me: Amin? Nope..it's in my language, Malaysian language which means peace. Aman.
Thinking back..Amin means faithful and trustworthy in Arabic and while Amen in Hebrew is so be it, truly.
This weekend maybe I will go to Malaysian Embassy for Iftar. Anyone wanna join me?
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